An artist's rendition of the new Sembawang North estate. - HDB
SINGAPORE: Two forested areas in Singapore’s northern region that will be cleared for new housing projects have been found to contain endangered species of plants and animals, two recent studies have found.
The two sites – in Sembawang and Woodlands – are being cleared for new homes.
The Housing Board (HDB) announced in October that some 8,000 Build-To-Order flats and 2,000 private homes will be built on the site in Sembawang North, while plans for the area in Woodlands have not yet been revealed.
Conducted by infrastructure consulting firm Aecom and commissioned by HDB, the environmental impact assessments found that construction at those two sites will result in a loss of habitat. The works could also cause major impacts on the wildlife in the area.
That said, the impact on flora and fauna can be reduced if mitigation measures are implemented, said the reports.
HDB has published the reports on its website, and the public can provide feedback to the agency via an online form until Dec 10.
The 7.27ha project site in Woodlands, about the size of 13 football fields, is located between Marsiling and Admiralty roads, near Woodlands Secondary School.
Aecom found that the Woodlands site is home to 195 species of flora and 95 species of fauna, mainly birds and butterflies.
Among the species with conservation significance found there are a wild relative of the nutmeg plant named after William Farquhar; the Swinhoe’s white-eye, a yellow-olive warbler-like bird; and the cave nectar bat.
The 53ha Sembawang site, which is about one-third of the area of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, is a mix of forested and vegetated areas, urban zones and construction worksites.
The study found 128 species of flora and 28 large plant specimens in the forested area in Sembawang. Notable finds include a small Malayan banyan, the critically endangered Sunda pangolin, the smooth-coated otter and the long-tailed parakeet.
Just adjacent to the Sembawang site is a larger plot of forest that is also zoned for residential use, but specific plans for the area have not been announced.
According to Aecom, the Sembawang site, along with the adjacent forest, called N5, is among the few remaining large, continuous patches of vegetation within the urban landscape of the Sembawang region.
The report added that the N5 forest potentially plays an important role as a “stepping stone” to help species migrate between the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and the forested areas of Simpang, just north of Yishun Avenue 8.
Such forested areas prevent species from becoming isolated and help them survive by spreading and mixing populations.
The report added that the larger size and strategic location of the N5 make it a far more effective stepping-stone habitat than nearby fragmented vegetation, such as the one in Canberra Park.
To reduce the environmental impact on the area, the study also recommended transplantation to move threatened or rare plants elsewhere.
Aecom recommended that the site be cleared in such a manner that wildlife will be shepherded to other forested areas.
The consultants also suggested other methods to mitigate any environmental impact, including establishing a wildlife response plan with the National Parks Board that must be carried out in the event that trapped, injured or dead wildlife are encountered near worksites.
The studies also recommended road calming measures, such as adding speed bumps and speed limits of 15kmh to 20kmh, to minimise roadkill.
HDB told The Straits Times that even though N5 is not part of the Sembawang project site, a small portion of it next to Canberra Road will be affected.
Former Nature Society Singapore president and botanist Shawn Lum said the size of the Sembawang forests makes them potentially important habitat areas in their own right. He added that it was reassuring that most of the forest adjacent to the Sembawang site will be left alone for the moment.
While the loss of some green spaces is unavoidable during construction, Dr Lum said the authorities could select and protect the most critical habitats that could link core nature areas and become part of a wider ecological network.
Muhammad Nasry Abdul Nasir, the executive director of Singapore Youth Voices for Biodiversity, said translocation, where species are caught and released into other areas, can be useful, but also cautioned that this could cause issues if not done properly.
“Some species are very easily stressed and do not respond well to being caught, handled and transported,” he said.
When asked about the studies, HDB said it would work with its consultants to develop and implement site-specific measures based on the recommendations.
It also added that a plan will be put in place to monitor and mitigate any potential environmental impact for the duration of the project. - The Straits Times/ANN
